Following his ’28’ series of pendant lamps, the Vancouver- based architect and designer Omer Arbel has realised this series of striking lighting elements for the Canadian lighting specialists Bocci. Employing a similar technique to that originally developed by Arbel for the ’28’ collection, in this series ‘large glass spheres are blown, and then a multitude of white cavities are introduced into them haphazardly,intentionally intersecting and colliding with each other .’ ’38’ was showcased in a special large-scale lighting installation during this year’s Salone del Mobile at Spazio Rossana Orlandi. Watch ’38’ being produced in the video below.

'38' by Omer Arbel for Bocci; photo by Gwenael Lewis

More about ’38’:

’38 is a surrealistically motivated re-exploration of a technique of making originally developed for a previous project called 28, whereby air is pushed in and out of glass that is intermittently heated and cooled. In the case of this project, the technique is stretched to the limits of possibility.

‘There are two or three lighting elements per large sphere, and one or two planters. Electricity and suspension are achieved using stiff copper tubing, which is allowed to tangle and crinkle, seemingly without regard for gravity. Once in a while, these copper tubes loop around satellite white planters, appearing to have escaped from the confines of the lit clear glass spheres.